Ginger and Smart

I was never one who'd buy fashion magazines and indulge into ooohing and aaahing over the newest releases or lines of established and would be designers. I would rather help myself with a John Grisham suspense thriller or a Jodi Picoult tear jerker than go gaga over featured accessories that all look the same to me. You'd never see me reaching out for glossy magazines to check what Angelina Jolie wore during the Academy Awards or what Nicole Kidman donned during the Oscars. Whether they were a hot property or not does not interest me. Who and what movie bagged the Bests awards and whose speech was the most inspiring are what I am interested in. Ginger and Smart

But lately, it seems that we, that is, fashion and I, are slowly working things out. It all started with 3 words, "Ethical is Fashionable." Yes, you read it right. Fashion's new partner is indeed ethics. You don't quite get it? Same here. Ginger and Smart I did have a hard time understanding it too, the first time I saw it. How can fashion, a free spirit, ever hook up with a strict and stifling character, ethics. A very unlikely pair, isn't it?

A very interesting one, too. The 'ethical is fashionable' scheme is slowly gaining momentum. Some view this as a strategy still to gain popularity amongst clothing companies to propel themselves into the mainstream fashion scene. Think fair competition and trade. Others believe that this is actually a drive towards a more responsive and responsible fashion industry, thinking less of what designers and outlets want to produce and more of what the consumers like and demand which hopefully will translate to less surplus and less production waste.
Whichever stand you choose to defend doesn't matter. The more important thing to consider here is what is being done in the light of this campaign. The ethical is fashionable scheme is bringing products that used to be considered "non - marketable" to full view. Take for example crochets and knits and other handmade goods which are raking in millions of dollars.

What happened to the claims that these are "unprofitable?". The point is quite simple and it has, for some time been staring at us: there is a gradual shifting happening in the fashion world. What used to be a restrictive and inclusive play ground for big companies is becoming more accessible to small businesses. Ginger and Smart Thanks to the more informed and more responsible consumers who have realized that fashion is not just about having the latest and hottest item there is. Fashion is also about choice, intelligent ones. It includes: caring about starting business ventures, giving them a chance to break in the rather monopolized industry and supporting companies who give back to their workers.
People caring for people. People caring for the environment. And people looking good. When did fashion become this exciting! Ethical is indeed fashionable. Ginger and Smart